*Disclaimer: I don't own ER. I only own Jaime, Rob, and Mrs. Frank
Jaime
7:00 am
Dr. Mark Greene entered the ER. It was one of the few times he was not rushed in due to a car accident or drive-by shooting. Maybe, just maybe, today would be quiet and slow. "Morning, Mark," Dr. Kerry Weaver said concentrating hard on a file.
"Morning, Kerry," Mark answered, he looked at her and was reminded how much he admired her. Her courage, her strength, her will. Suddenly, a Metallica song blasted over the speakers and made both doctors jump. "JERRY!!" they both shouted.
"Sorry didn't mean to have it that loud," Jerry replied cheerfully.
Both doctors groaned as the music was turned down. Dr John Carter entered in a excited fashion. Very rare, in the ER for anyone to be happy, but the day had started out in a rare fashion. Maybe, today would be good. Dr. Doug Ross and Carol Hathoway entered completely wrapped in one another. Dr. Peter Benton rushed in, he had a surgery in an hour. Abby, Lydia, and Lily were attempting to get a twelve year old boy ready to have his tonsils taken out by Dr. Benton. Yosh tried to relax a little, he had been there all night and would be there all day too. Randi rushed in late because she had to go stay with a friend's kid last night. Maybe today would be calm.
As Dr. Greene stood at the counter he turned and saw behind Carter, a teenage girl, 'What is she? Oh that's right.'
"Carter, remember that shadow program I told you about last month?" Dr. Greene inquired.
"Yeah, it is a good thing high school kids change their minds every five minutes," he snickered.
"Not that one," Greene said pointing behind Carter.
"Hi, I'm Jaime," the teen with short, blonde hair greeted.
"Um, hello I am Dr. Carter and this is Dr. Greene,"
" Hello, oh by the way I won't change my mind,"
"We'll see," Carter stated, "We will see, ready for rounds?"
"Can I go put my stuff up? I, also, need some information from you after we are done with rounds."
"Fair enough."
As Jaime ran to the locker room, Carter turned to Mark and said, " You could have told me she was standing right there."
"Yeah, but then I wouldn't have gotten to watch you squirm in front of a 16 year old girl."
"Thanks,"
"We ready," Jaime asked excitedly.
"Yeah, let's go."
"So what got you interested in medicine anyway?" asked Carter.
"My mom was a nurse, she was killed in a car accident. I want to be a doctor because my mom used to get mad at dumb doctors who would ignore the obvious. I want to have more control," Jaime said, thoughtfully.
" Understandable," Carter replied, "This is Mrs. Frank,"
"Why is she in?" asked Jaime.
"Apparently, she took a nasty fall,"
"Her husband beats her doesn't he?"
"I am not at liberty to say," he replied nodding his head big time.
Can't be worse than what I go through at home,
she thought bitterly."Good morning, Mrs. Frank," Carter cheerfully greeted.
"Good morning, Doctor, I can't go home today can I?" the twenty-five year old asked praying no.
"I think you need another day here and a visitor from the legal department," Carter winked.
"Thank you"
Jaime and Carter left finished rounds and sat down for the interview.
"What made you decide to become a doctor?" asked Jaime pointedly.
"I wanted to help people and I could afford to be one," Carter answered bluntly.
"Why…" Jaime began, but was interrupted by the EMTs busting through the door.
"We got a bus wreck half are coming here the other half are going to Saint's. This boy was in the back end that got hit, he is bleeding from the head and I think he is bleeding internally too," the EMT sped out for the next group.
"J-bird," the boy forced out smiling, weakly.
"Robby," Jaime whispered as she and Carter ran up to him.
" I am so glad you didn't ride the bus," he said.
"What happened?"
A nurse interrupted, " We have to get this kid to a room you can go with him, but jump on the bed and stay out of the way."
"What happened?" Jaime repeated, jumping on the bed.
"The bus was stopped at a stop light, and this tractor-trailer couldn't stop it hit the back," Rob forced out as he coughed up some blood.
"God, what about the others?"
"Amber was not on, I don't know about Dan, Sue, or Jess."
"Get off," a nurse jumped her case.
"Alright, I will find out you just get better,"
"J-bird, don't leave me, please," Rob begged.
"Okay I won't leave you," Jaime answered.
"Promise,"
"They will have to drag me out kicking and screaming."
They started hooking Rob up to IVs and looking for the bleeding. Rob held Jaime's hand and begged her not to leave him. Carter glanced at Jaime every now and then to see if she was crying, if she was they needed to get her out. Her face was straight and sometimes she would smile at Rob to make him feel better. Greene came in and was helping and he noticed her in the room, he looked at Carter. Carter shook his head as if to say, 'leave her'. Greene helped and both doctors found the bleeding and repaired it. Rob was given an anistetic and went to sleep while Greene put stitches in. Jaime and Carter walked out of the room.
"Are you okay?" Carter asked.
"I am fine, but I have never seen Rob like that." Jaime replied.
"Like what?"
"Vulnerable?"
"You see things you never thought you would in the ER."
Oh, I think I have seen enough terrible stuff. Jaime thought nastily.
Six hours later
Jaime went to the cafeteria to get some food for the nurses and doctors so they wouldn't
have to leave the ER. When she arrived she started throwing food into large sacks that she had been given. She left the cafeteria and stopped in the lounge, Jaime sat down the bags and started to cry. Everything hit her at once just like after it was over. Jaime knew she couldn't let anyone see her like this and composed herself. Jaime returned as chipper as she had when she left.
Jaime left the bags of food with Jerry and went to get her notebook that was still with Robby. She sat down by him and smiled. He was always complaining that people who fell asleep in class, here he was asleep in the hospital. Jaime heard a groan and then, "Don't you say a word," Rob forced out with his eyes still closed.
"How did you know it was me?" Jaime asked.
"I am asleep, not stupid."
"Oh, my bad. How do you feel?"
"I am alive, but I am not the one who has to go home to that son of a …"
"SHUT UP! Someone will hear you."
"I wish someone else would figure it out. This just made me realize if I had died no one else would know and you could get killed and he would get away with it," Rob vented angrily, " if you don't tell someone else by the end of the day, I will talk."
"You, awww, you, wouldn't," Jaime spatted out.
"Oh I wouldn't how come you are so nervous then?"
Jaime stomped out angrily. How could he do this? He promised. I can't deny it all anyone would have to do is look at my body and they could tell. I am in so deep.
Jaime dropped, surrendering to the floor. He would tell and unless she talked first she would have to go home tonight and "daddy dearest" would know. Dr. Carter rounded the corner and nearly tripped over her. Jaime looked up and said "I need to talk to you."
"Now?" he asked thinking it was for the interview.
"No, but today sometime," she wanted to cry, but she wouldn't let herself.
"Aren't you coming back tomorrow?"
"Yeah, every day this week, but this needs to be said today."
"Alright, how about…"
"Don't worry just find me sometime."
Jaime hopped up and scampered off before he could say anything else. Jaime rounded the corner and crashed into Dr. Ross. She fell to the floor and groaned in pain.
"Are you alright?" asked Dr. Ross as Jaime was pulling her hand away from stomach and showed the blood and as if on cue began coughing up blood. Dr. Ross scooped her tiny body up and rushed her to a trauma room. Carter was right behind him and Carol was right behind Carter.
"I am fine," Jaime said through the blood out of her mouth trying to get up.
"He didn't hit you hard enough to get this kind of reaction and if you want to be a doctor you will realize you aren't fine and let us help you," Carter stated forcing her down with Dr. Ross while Carol pulled up her sweater.
"I don't think it was you, Doug," Carol said staring at the bruises, cuts and other damages on the frail looking body.
"Okay, let's stitch her up and then you and I are going to have a talk," Ross said, Jaime flopped back and groaned as they started stitching.
What am I going to do now? What am I going to do?
she thought desperately trying to think of a way out of this. Jaime looked over at the window and saw Rob, in his wheelchair, looking at her. He pushed the door open and mouthed 'I told Ross.'"YOU TOLD HIM!!!" Jaime shouted as she reached for him.
"I had too. Max was getting worse all the time, you know it. I wasn't going to sit back and do nothing."
"Now do you know what will happen I am going to go to foster care and then I am not going to get a good education then I won't be a doctor."
"Why is it so important? Why is it worth your life?" Dr. Ross asked.
"Because it proves him wrong and my mom right."
"About what?" asked Carter
"My mom always said I was soooo smart she loved me so much. My dad left when I was born. Max came into the picture, he made my mom happy and he was nice enough to me. Then after Mom died he started drinking and beating me. But he was rich, real rich and I knew I could do whatever I wanted as long as I took the insults, shame, and beating. He always says I am dumb and I will never be anything. That is what." Jaime started to cry and held her ribs.
"What are we going to do?" asked Carter after they had all left her in a room.
"Call social services," Dr. Ross stated.
"We can't do that. Did you see her in there? It will kill her to go to foster care," Carter said furiously.
"Well what else will we do?" asked Carol, "What else can we do?"
"Get her adopted?" Carter suggested.
"By who, he is the only family she has," Dr. Ross pointed out.
"I don't know yet, I just know that if we call social services she will get lost in the system. She will probably runaway, then who knows what. But, if we can find another way to help her," Carter pleaded.
"We can keep her here tonight, but we are going to have to get some help from someone to convince her to stay," Carol stated rationally.
"I know just the person," Carter said as he smiled.
**********************************************
"Hello, Mrs. Frank," Carter said.
"Hello, Dr. Carter, " Mrs. Frank said happily.
"Has someone come to talk to you?"
"Yes."
"Mrs. Frank, I was wondering, I know you have been through a lot and I have a young girl who is going through the same thing. I was hoping you could convince her to turn in her abuser."
"It is that girl, who was with you this morning, wasn't it?"
"How did you know?"
"We all have the same pain in our eyes, yes I will talk to her."
"Thank you, Mrs. Frank."
"Amanda, please, Mrs. Frank makes me sound old and it is the wrong name."
"Thank you, Amanda."
*******************************************************
Amanda walked into the room Dr. Carter had said the girl Jaime was in. She was changing her clothes.
"Already trying to split?" Amanda asked, shocking Jaime as she flipped around and glared.
"It's none of your business and you better not say a word to anybody," Jaime said threateningly.
"Hey, I am just here to talk to you, not to keep you here."
"Well, talk."
" Who is it?"
"My stepdad."
"Why?"
"I don't know for power, an ego booster, to brag about."
" Why do you stay?"
"For money."
"You know, people are willing to help you."
"Yeah, right over a cliff they would help me, no one understands."
"I do."
"It's your husband, he has to give you stuff if you divorce him, Max, my stepdad, doesn't have to give me anything."
"My husband loses everything when I divorce him, I work, it is all my money. You know it is an awful lot of money I would kind of like some help spending it."
Jaime looked up and smiled at Amanda, " You really would take me?"
Amanda smiled back " In a heartbeat."
"Oh thank you," Jaime said choking back tears, "thank you."
The two beaten women hugged not a regular hug. A family hug.
* Sounds like the end does it not? Well you just wait. Please read and review.*